Reminder

Hi everyone! This is just a quick reminder to you to bring your corrected drafts of writing assignment 4 (compare/ contrast essay) to class tomorrow for some peer editing. Also, your partner essay (which we began on Tuesday), is due tomorrow as well. Only about 2 full weeks left after this one, guys. Let's finish strong.

WA 4

Intermediate Composition and Grammar

Writing Assignment 4

Comparison & Contrast Essay

            Your assignment is to written a comparison and contrast essay about two places you have visited. Please choose a location that a) you know well b) have a lot to say about.

            Your essay should include 5 paragraphs, with an introductory paragraph, 3 body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. You should compare AND/OR and contrast three categories, such as climate, size, location, natural resources, residents, etc. This means that you can focus on similarities only, differences only, or similarities and differences. Each body paragraphs will discuss a different characteristic.

Example:

Paragraph I: Introduction (thesis mentions there are both similarities and differences between the Grand Canyon and Kings Canyon)

Body Paragraph I: differences in size

Body Paragraph II: similarities between history of canyon formation

Body Paragraph III: differences between wildlife and nature

Conclusion: Summarizes the three characteristic and restates the thesis in different words

Examples of locations:

1.    Two schools (ex. Your high school vs. your university, your university at home vs. CSUF)

2.    Two amusement parks

3.    Two cities you have lived in

4.    Two beaches

5.    Two metropolitan cities

6.    Two places to go wine tasting

*** Please take note of the dates and times below. Late assignments will not be accepted.

Dates:

1.    July 6^th, Friday: brainstorming and outline in class

2.    July 8^th, Sunday midnight: 1^st rough draft due

3.    July 12^th, Thursday: bring 2^nd rough draft to class for peer editing

4.    July 14^th, Saturday morning at 9 a.m.: final draft due

Question for the Week

What are you looking forward to doing when the summer session is over?

Yes, I know you're all devastated at the idea of class being over in a couple of weeks. :) How do you plan to spend your time after the summer session? I'm looking forward to sleeping in and catching up on a couple of books I've been meaning to read. I want to work out more, cook more, and take a few more trips to the beach as well. What about you - will you take trips? Go to the gym? Hang out with your friends? Do share.

Hello

A quick update about today's class:

1. Error correcting
2. Bing vs. Google - an example of a comparison and contrast essay from NY Times.
3. Passed back in - class essays - which quite a few of you did not take.

I also decided that we'll take it a little slower on writing assignment 4. Most of you turned it in to me by the deadline (Sunday midnight), but some of you haven't. You can still turn it in to me by tonight, but you will get 10% off your final grade for the assignment. It's better than getting no grade at all though. On Wednesday, bring a paper copy of the assignment to class. We'll all do some peer editing.

We have about 3 weeks of class left. Let's finish strong guys!

Monday, July 2

Can you believe we're already about halfway through the semester? Time flies when you're having fun, huh? ;) Here's what we covered in class today:
1. A LOT of peer editing - this is a valuable exercise because, in learning how to recognize other people's errors, you also learn to recognize and prevent or fix your own.
2. Different types of introductions for essays

Homework: Read about appositives and adjective clauses in the book (p. 131 - 133).

Question of the Week (#4)

Hi everyone!

I hope you all enjoyed a fantabulous (fantastic + fabulous) weekend! It sounds like many of you had a blast at Disneyland. My favorite rides are the Haunted Mansion and the Indiana Jones ride. This week's question is pretty straightforward:

What's your favorite holiday food memory?

In the U.S., holidays are all about the food! We have turkey on Thanksgiving, ham on Easter, barbecue on the Fourth of July. We eat well, that's for sure! But one of my favorite holiday food memories is actually related to a Korean tradition. The New Year's Day is a pretty important holiday tradition. Our family gathers with my dad's side of the family to eat, play traditional Korean games, and receive money and blessings from the adults. Although our relatives are all pretty busy, this is one tradition we've kept for nearly two decades. Traditional foods eaten on this day include rice cake and dumpling soup, braised short ribs (aka galbi), various Korean pancakes, and rice cakes. More important than the food (which is pretty incredible), though, is the gathering of family. These memories of food represent, to me, times of closeness, laughter, and spending time with cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. What about you?

WA 3

Writing Assignment 3: Process Essay

         Your assignment is to written an instructional process essay on a topic of your choice – however, I must approve the topic before you begin writing. Therefore, you need to choose a topic that a) you understand well and b) you find interesting and have a lot to say about so that you can communicate the process clearly to your readers. You are free to choose the tone of voice of your essay – for example, if you’d like to be funny, go ahead and be funny. If you think a more serious tone of voice is appropriate, that’s fine too.

            Your essay should include at least 4 paragraphs, with an introductory paragraph,two body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. Communicate your ideas with a mix of simple, compound, and complex sentences. Use transition signals to connect your ideas clearly.

Examples of topics:

1.      How to lose weight without going crazy

2.      How to beat other people at poker

3.      How to find the perfect roommate

4.      How to get rid of your horrible roommate – without doing anything illegal

5.      How to housebreak your dog

6.      How to enjoy a romantic date night for less than $20

7.      How to successfully get a raise from your employer

8.      How to cook the perfect steak 

a

  Important dates:

  June 28: brainstorm, outline

  July 1st (midnight): send Bonnie rough draft by DOCS

  July 4th (midnight): send Bonnie final draft by DOCS

Grading Rubric

Process Essay (WA 3)

June 30, 2012

	MAXIMUM SCORE	ACTUAL SCORE
Format -          Centered title (1), first line of paragraph indented (1), double – spaced, (1) correct headline (1)	4
Content -          Essay fulfills assignment requirements. -          Essay is interesting -          Essay shows care and thought. -          Consistent use of nouns & pronouns	5 5 5 2 17
Organization -          Essay has an introduction, at least 2 body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. Introductory paragraph: -          Begins with several general sentences. Ends with thesis statement. Body: -          Each paragraph discusses a new point and begins with a clear topic sentence. -          Each paragraph has supporting material: facts, examples, etc. -          Transitions are used to link paragraphs. Concluding paragraph: -          Summarizes main points or paraphrases the thesis statement, begins with conclusion signal	4 5 3 4 3 5
Grammar, Sentence Structure, -          Minus 0.5 points for each run – on, comma splice, fragment, spelling mistake, incorrectly capitalized word
Sentence Structure -          Essay includes a combination of simple sentences, compound sentences, complex sentences	5
Total points:	50 pts.

·         After you receive the final draft with comments, corrections, and a final score, you have the opportunity to correct the final draft and turn it in to me (typed hard copy) à 3 points